But Life Does Go On
by MySecret.XxX2
Summary: So what does happen before the '19 years later' chapter in the last Harry Potter book? Here's the answer to that question. With Death Eaters on the run and plotting, Hogwarts castle still in ruins and Harry and Ron finally getting the girls of their dreams- will all go to plan? Probably not. Canon pairings. Very minor swearing.


**A/N: Heya guys! I'm back! Although this may seem like my first fic it actually isn't; I used to have another username: (I know, original), and did a few 'Characters read the stories' fics and a couple of one-shots. I unfortunately had to take a break from Fanfiction due to personal reasons, but now I'm back :P GCSEs all over and 10 weeks off from everything!**

**I haven't written fiction in so long, and it feels great to start again, and please excuse any minor mistakes, (major ones are not excusable ;D ) as my usual beta is sick at the moment, and so i had to beta-check it myself (always harder).**

**Oh, and about the story, I'm taking it from the film, because I used the end scene from the film, so, like in the film, they never told under-aged wizards and witches to leave the battle, and the Slytherins were escorted to the dungeons; they got out, and may have helped or hindered, but they were never taken to the Hog's head. **

**Please let me know if you like it and want me to continue :) Please R&R and enjoy!**

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"What shall we do with it?"

"We?"

"Just saying, that's the Elder wand. The most powerful wand in the world. With that- you'd be invincible!"

Harry glanced down at the wand he now held in his hand- at Dumbledore's wand. It was always Dumbledore's wand; never his. Never Malfoy's, Snape's, Voldemort's. Always Dumbledore's, and he didn't want it.

Invincibility. Power. If there was anything Harry had learnt over the last few years it was that ultimate power and the journey to find it only ever brought pain and suffering. He didn't need it. No one did. Harry had made his decision.

And with that the Elder wand was snapped cleanly in two without a second thought.

Hermione and Ron shared a brief glance of confusion, (and in Ron's case slight dismay) before they also accepted the Elder wand's fate and simply looked on as Harry chucked the two pieces over the side of the remaining stone bridge. Far away from causing any more harm ever again along with the Resurrection stone, hidden somewhere deep in the forest where Harry had dropped it.

All three of them walked to the edge of the bridge and looked across the lake at the castle. The half-demolished, death-filled Hogwarts castle, which still felt like home to whomever laid their eyes upon it; Harry, Ron and Hermione included, forever more.

The sun let it's dusty rays shine once more across their faces as the three best friends stood next to each other in amongst the ruins and mess. Just enjoying each other's company after the bloodthirsty battle that had been finished only moments ago. So much calmness after the last few years of camping in forest after forest, mountain after mountain. Constantly looking over their shoulders. Constantly worried for each other's safety.

All was over.

All was well…

Harry looked to his left and saw Ron take Hermione's hand with a faint smile upon his face, as if he still couldn't quite believe how it had happened; Harry just smirked slightly, reminding himself to collect the five galleons off of Ginny when he could- easiest bet he'd made in a long time.

"We need to get back you know, mate?" Ron said quietly, regretfully, as besides him Hermione nodded and forced a small smile. She knew as well as anyone that although the war was won the battle was yet to be over.

"yeah. I know." Harry almost whispered. No one made any motion to move. The whole place was motionless. Silent.

Harry shook his head slightly, cleared his throat and put on a strong face as he turned and faced the direction back to the castle, although he knew Ron and Hermione weren't fooled.

"Together?"

Harry smiled a genuine smile at his all-but-blood-sister and nodded.

"Together."

And with that they carefully picked out a route in amongst the crumbled stone and giant remains, back to Hogwarts castle. Back home.

The first thing Harry noticed as they pushed back the massive doors and stepped inside, just as he had so many years ago when he was just eleven years old, was the noise. A mass wave of cheering and screaming greeted them upon his arrival. Claps on the back, chants with his name in starting up, sobbed thank-yous and joyous laughter bringing smiles to all three friend's faces without trying. Because despite everything- they had done it. The war was over.

"Harry! HARRY!"

"Hermione, here! Come here!"

"RON!"

They pushed their way slowly through the massive throng of students, teachers and order members alike; Ron getting propelled forwards and into Harry with the force of a particularly rough clap on the back from Lee Jordan.

They couldn't help but feel over-whelmed and almost unprepared for what had greeted them. Trying their best to laugh and smile with the crowd whilst still edging slowly forwards.

"HARRY. HARRY. HARRY. HARRY!"

Too many people… Harry thought, getting shoved from every angle as the crowds closed in, trying with all their might to make contact with the Boy Who Lived- with the Boy Who'd Lived Twice.

"Ow." he heard Hermione mutter as an over-excited fourth year accidentally stepped on her foot. He saw Ron frown next to her and would have rolled his eyes if he wasn't trying himself not to fall into the roaring crowd surrounding them from every direction. Now was not the time for over-protective boyfriend.

All three of them lurched forwards once more, grabbing for each other and letting out their own exclamations. Now this was getting ridiculous…

BANG BANG BANG!

The shoving stopped. The noise stopped and the three teenagers breathed simultaneous sighs of relief. There, a few feet away from them stood Professor McGonagall, wand still raised into the air and a partly amused, partly exasperated look upon her tired face.

"Goodness sake! Do you all intend to kill them just _after_ they survived the war?" she exclaimed.

The crowd stood silent for a second, before realizing that she was joking and laughing a little. The small cluster of students of all ages stood besides the trio had the decency to look a little bashful and stepped back as much as they could, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione to throw such thankful looks at Professor McGonagall she let a bubble of laughter escape her- she admitted, not something she would normally do.

Kingsley stepped up beside her and stared directly at Harry with a smile of his own before addressing the crowd.

"I know that emotions are running high right now, and that many of you would like to contact family, friends, to let them know that you are safe. Yet I ask that you wait just a little longer. For obvious reasons we can not let every single one of you up to the owlery or floo network or fireplaces all at once, but we will get every single child and adult alike sorted. We promise you that.

"I would also like to ask you not to crowd Messrs Potter, Weasley and Miss Granger, as I am sure they are just as, if even more, tired and battle-worn than the most of us, and do not need to added pressure of trying not to be crushed by their housemates as well," he gave a small smile to a small cluster of Ravenclaws, stood fairly close again to Hermione, who blushed and leapt back.

"Now," he continued, "let us re-locate to the Great Hall and take our seats together. House tables be damned!" he suddenly burst out, seeing the different houses of Hogwarts' students all mixed in amongst each other. "This is a time of joy and of peace. I will see you all momentarily."

Kingsley rounded his speech off, giving the signal that he was finished. Immediately the chatter broke out again as the sea of people slowly shuffled through the large doors and into the Great Hall.

Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way over to Kingsley and professor McGonagall, gradually seeing more and more members of the Order stood nearby. Nearly everyone was smiling. Smiling exhausted smiles, but smiling nonetheless.

"I don't know what to say." McGonagall mumbled once Harry had reached the Order members, Ron and Hermione right behind him, hands still entwined.

"You don't have to say anything-" Harry started, but was cut off with a yelp as his old transfiguration teacher pulled the extremely surprised boy into a bone-crushing hug. He just froze for a second, wide-eyed in shock as he heard her weep slightly into his shoulder.

"Um- that-" he cleared his throat. "That's fine, professor." It didn't help that Ron was snickering quietly right behind him. If he could turn around, Harry was willing to bet anything that Hermione was trying with all her might to get him to shut up.

Finally, after a while, McGonagall released her Gryffindor student, cheeks slightly pink. She sniffed once.

"Yes, well… It's nice to have you back Potter. Just… well done!" she smiled wobbly, before turning away to hurriedly walk over to Professor Sprout.

He spun around to a very red-in-the-face Ron and an irate Hermione.

"She's finally lost it- gone barmy!" Ron whispered, still looking like he wanted to burst into laughter at his friend's predicament. Hermione scowled at him.

"Honestly! We've just been through a war! Of course she's a little emotional! Range of a teaspoon…" she trailed off. Ron's shame-faced look changed into one of mirth again- Harry quick to join in, and suddenly there they were laughing and laughing and laughing. Hysterical at last- grabbing onto each other to keep them standing. All three were well aware that alot of the people still in the room were watching them, but for once did not care in the slightest.

they Wiped tears of laughter out of their eyes, not knowing why. Perhaps the stress of the last year was catching up with them because they probably looked like crazy people right now.

They only stopped when a throat was cleared behind them, and a hand closed over Harry's shoulder, gently spinning him around.

Ginny's warm brown eyes bore into him as she pushed a few golden coins into his open palm.

"Five Galleons, wasn't it?" she almost whispered, briefly letting her eyes drift over his shoulder to Ron and Hermione, whom Harry noted somewhere in the back of his mind had moved far back into the chamber as Ginny had approached, and were now chatting avidly with Mrs Weasley and Professor Sprout.

Harry looked down to his hand, still closed around the Galleons. Ginny's smaller hand still wrapped around his, and her eyes transfixed on his face.

"You know, I have this big speech planned." She started, barely moving her lips as not to be heard by anyone stood around them. "But now's not the time, because I thought that I'd lost you. Just for a second I thought I'd lost you." She didn't cry, just because she'd already cried enough. Her tears had dried up, and Harry couldn't bare that.

"Gin-"

"No. Harry. Please just listen. When you left me last year you have no idea what I felt. No idea. And-" She paused in her speech to look top the right, feeling eyes on her; sure enough half of her family and a few others were watching their quiet confrontation with increasing trepidation. She shook her head with a slightly annoyed frown.

"No privacy, seriously. We need to talk later. Please."

How could he say no to those eyes?

"Yeah, of course. But what-"

"Later."

And she was gone again as soon as she'd appeared. Lacing Harry with apprehension and disappointment, alternating with the overwhelming feeling of relief that had washed over him when he'd turned around to see her standing there.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron asked, clueless as ever.

Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry had a feeling she'd be doing a lot of that in the near future.

"That's none of your business, Ronald!"

"Alright, I was just asking."

"Well don't."

Harry grinned widely. Just like old times. His two best friends arguing like nothing had ever happened. For all he knew they could still be sitting in the common room, in front of the roaring fire- just like first year all over again without a care in the world, (well, discounting thinking one of your professors was trying to steal a priceless artefact, that was).

"Harry? Harry!" Hermione clicked her fingers in front of her face. "You in there?"

"Huh? Yeah, sorry." Harry smiled weakly back, the first real wave of fatigue flowing over him in a foul swoop. The events of the last few hours were catching up on him- I mean, he had died and then came back before killing the greatest dark wizard of all time. Hermione seemed to sense this and nodded her head towards a small bench.

"Take a breather for a second." she advised wisely, and that was why Harry loved her. Her ability to still care about others far from herself, as he could easily see the dark circles beneath her eyes; the still very prominent scarring of 'MUDBLOOD' brandished into her arm, just above the wrist; clearly visible as she made no move to hide it.

He shook his head again for what seemed to be the fiftieth time in the last few minutes. Harry did a sweep of the room. Ron and Hermione stood loyally by his side as always, with Kingsley across the room, still standing tall and appearing unhurt, in deep conversation with Professor's McGonagall, Flitwick and Mr Weasley. Next to them, sat on a small bench was professor Slughorn and Aberforth Dumbledore, conversing quietly with the occasional bout of laughter. Neville and Luna sat on a few of the remaining great stone steps, smiling gently at each other, seemingly in a world of their own. A few more people were scattered about the room- Mrs Weasley was sat in silence next to George, who's eyes were downcast and cloudy. Harry swallowed hard. He didn't even want to think about what he was going through right now. He couldn't think about it, because then he'd break down completely. And he couldn't do that. Not yet.

"Come on, mate." Ron nudged him in the shoulder, nodding with his head in Kingsley's direction, who was clearing his throat to the room.

Harry quickly stumbled forwards along with Ron and Hermione to stand in front of Kingsley who turned his eyes on the much smaller crowd of people.

"We need to join the others in the Great Hall now a plan has been established. You, as the Order of the Phoenix, need to know what that plan will be first." here he made a specific nod at Luna and Neville- to make sure that they knew they were included. "We will take the students to specific fireplaces to contact their homes in groups: first years, then second years, and so fourth. We then need to make sure that the Great Hall is cleared as staff and students will be sleeping there tonight." he smiled grimly. "It's too risky to move anyone at the moment, so the protective charms will also need to be re-established.

"I will ask some of you to escort the groups of students to the separate fireplaces once inside, but for now, that's all we can do. Until tomorrow at least. Thankyou."

And without further a do, he nodded, and swiftly marched through the doors to the Great Hall, the other members of the order on his tail; some walking at a swift pace to keep up, and some lagging behind.

All of these thoughts were drawn speedily away out of Harry's head, as once again his ears were met with the great uproar of applause.

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**A/N: Ok, so that's all for now. This chapters a bit short for my liking, but it's just a little tester- a pilot, if you will, to see if you like this sort of story. I know it's been done before, but I have so many ideas and plot twists that I feel haven't been done before. So thankyou for reading :)**

**If you liked it, please review down below, (if you can find the button :P fanfictions been getting so complicated lately!)**


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